well, you've got the hard part out of the way, which is the build up of an expectation prior to the 1st. Most people are on the look out for a trick on that day, so with her expecting you to pop the question on the 1st will add more credibility to your joke.
now, there's a fine line here between a harmless prank and doing some emotional damage. Women and jewelry are a fickle bunch. i would not recommend doing this unless you are planning to actually do it for real in the very near future -- like, right after you successfully execute the prank, or at least within a few days. the objective is to share a good laugh, not to be breaking a heart. who knows, she may just have something up her own sleeve for you on the first.
now, the first thing i'd do -- if you haven't started doing so already, which i think you may very well have -- is to exhibit a little bit of stress (or dare i say anxiety) as the first approaches. this depends in large part on how good an actor you are and how well she can read you. you've stated in past threads that there is some moving in your future, possibly starting a charity, so it certainly seems as though you have enough going on that you could certainly exhibit signs of a stressor that you are keeping to yourself.
now, i'm gonna go ahead and assume that you're going to go through with this for real after you pull the prank, unless the young lady is capable of taking a joke like this in stride. a lot of people might see this as a very cruel thing to do, especially considering that this is something you mentioned that she has really been looking forward to.
how involved is she with your gambling exploits? since this is a gambling forum, gambling is going to play a major role in my recommended prank. i am also going to assume that you wager at least $100 a game at least occasionally (i consider a $5 halftime wager at SIA a large bet these days, so forgive me if i am insulting your wager size). find an NBA game that is going off on wednsday. now, in the days leading up, don't forget to exhibit signs that you have something going on that you're trying to keep to yourself, but don't overdo it. if your acting sucks or she can read you like the sucker at the table, then just concentrate on a successful execution of pulling this off on wednsday night heading into thursday. that in and of itself should be enough to keep you occupied with something that will make her wonder what the bloody hell is going on.
so let's go ahead and fast forward to wednsday night. hopefully you have NBA League Pass so that you can choose to turn any game on that you want to. Keeping in mind that it's the NBA, find a game in progress where it's pretty clear which team is going to win. now, don't go jumping on a team that's up by 20 in the first quarter -- like i said, it's the NBA and the last thing you want to do is jump on a side too early. obviously, the process of identifying a game to place a phantom wager on is going to be up to you to execute successfully, and if risking a large chunk of your savings on a game would be out of character for you or would be something that might make her reconsider her future with you, then readjust. after all, the objective here is to play it off as though you bet a large chunk of money on a game so that you can buy something important quicker than you could by grinding out a few bucks a week in your savings. a very good friend of yours gave you a tip, you used your own abilities to spot a great betting opportunity, however you wish to play this off. during the game, go into the bathroom and put a damp washcloth over your face to make it look like you're sweating, act like your sick, whatever. just don't overdo it, and make sure that by the time you let her know which game you bet on, make sure that side's going to come through for you, otherwise you might find yourself claiming that you doubled down on the late game in an effort to pull this off and she's really going to be wondering if she's involved with a degenerate. that would not be good.
now, the game's over and your side won. you're happy and relieved, and if you're a good actor you might be able to make your hands shake a bit and your voice tremble. she's gonna be wondering what the hell it was that you wanted to buy so bad that you were willing to put yourself through this stress, and you're just gonna smile and tell her "it's a surprise", and you're going to look at her in a way that makes her think "he's getting me a ring!!!!!"
it's thursday morning now. you make a show of going some place on your own -- again, get the actor in you to be a bit suspicious, make it look like you're going out of your way to be alone for a few hours, and make it a point to ensure that she's gonna be home when you get back. once you're on your own, call a buddy and tell them your plan, preferably someone who's voice your young lady won't recognize over the phone. you could pull this off successfully without someone else, but i prefer going for full effect when i pull a prank. anyway, drive around for awhile, find something to do to kill some time, at least an hour (depending on how far the nearest best buy is and what not).
now you're back home. act happy and what not, but remember that you still have a secret to keep. this is where your buddy calls -- hopefully on your home phone, where your girlfriend will answer. or maybe put your cell on the counter and leave the room and ask her to answer when it rings (just so long as you don't have any tiger woods antics going on). your buddy asks for you in a very professional way. you go into the other room, still making a point to act like you're keeping a secret. when you come back out, it's time for you to finally tell the big secret:
the best buy geek squad is on its way to deliver the brand new 3D tv you bought with your winnings from last night's game.
